Tech

5 Tech Breakthroughs Bringing Clean Water to the Developing World

The Global Innovation Series is supported by BMW i, a new concept dedicated to providing mobility solutions for the urban environment. It delivers more than purpose-built electric vehicles — it delivers smart mobility services. Visit bmw-i.com or follow @BMWi on Twitter.

In the West we take clean water for granted, but for 1.1 billion people across the developing world, the idea of easy access to treated water goes beyond a luxury concept.

Technology can help. There are various companies and charitable organizations working on easy-to-use, low cost solutions to benefit those across the globe for whom obtaining potable water is a daily struggle. And clean water doesn't just mean less disease and death — it has economic and social implications, too.

Here we highlight five innovations that are bringing sanitary and safe drinking water to people in the developing world. Take a look through our video gallery and let us know which solutions you find impressive.

5 Inexpensive Clean Water Technologies

1. LifeStraw

Vestergaard Frandsen's chemical-free "LifeStraw" is a "personal mobile water purification tool" that removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria through a super-fine filtration process.

Crucial for use in remote or less developed areas, the device requires no electrical power, batteries or replacement parts.

One LifeStraw costs just $5 to manufacture and allows one person to make surface water safe to drink for up to one year.

2. SlingShot

Dean Kamen's "SlingShot" can take any "bad water" (even sewage) and make 1,000 liters of drinkable water per day.

The Segway inventor's machine does require power to run -- about the same amount as a toaster -- but can be powered by a generator running on cow dung.

In addition to water, the Slingshot also generates small amounts of electricity -- enough to light up a small village's energy-efficient light bulbs.

With one machine costing around $2,000, micro-financing plans make this a viable option for entrepreneurs.

3. Midomo

Red Button Design's Midomo machine takes a different approach. Its innovative design is inspired by the fact that the average daily distance a person in Africa goes to collect water is 3.7 miles.

The Midomo's internal filter system is powered by the rotation of the wheels. This means as the water is transported it's transformed into water deemed safe by World Health Organization standards.

One Midomo can carry 50 liters of water at a time. Red Button Design also takes a different approach to funding -- it offers the Midomo Bracelet for £275 (approx $435).

The purchase of one bracelet sees a Midomo delivered to an African community and, through a serial number imprinted on the jewelery, the owner of the bracelet can track the journey of their machine.

4. LIFESAVER Jerrycan

Another solution that employs advanced ultra filtration, the LIFESAVER Jerrycan represents a more economical, yet still portable option.

One jerrycan can hold 18.5 liters of water and can process up to 20,000 liters of water in its lifetime.

Put in other terms, this means that one jerrycan can provide enough safe drinking water for a family of four for up to five years -- at a cost of around $0.15 per liter.

The Global Innovation Series is supported by BMW i, a new concept dedicated to providing mobility solutions for the urban environment. It delivers more than purpose-built electric vehicles; it delivers smart mobility services within and beyond the car. Visit bmw-i.com or follow @BMWi on Twitter.

Are you an innovative entrepreneur? Submit your pitch to BMW i Ventures, a mobility and tech venture capital company.

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